York Castle is an 11th century earthwork motte and bailey fortress, founded by King William I. One of two castles guarding the River Ouse and the Vale of York, the other being The Old Baile, they were both built in 1068, only to be captured and destroyed in 1069. William rebuilt the timber castle but the tower on the motte had to be rebuilt in timber again, after it was burnt down in anti-jewish riots of 1189 and then blown down in the gales of 1228. In the 13th century, King John and King Henry III founded the stone castle when adding Clifford's Tower, a two storey quatrefoil keep to the motte. The bailey has been built over but it still retains part of its curtain wall, flanked by two round towers and the site of the South Gateway. The forebuilding of Clifford's Tower, was largely rebuilt between 1642-43 when the castle was garrisoned by the Royalists. The tower was damaged during the siege of 1644 but repaired in 1652, only to be gutted by an explosion in 1684 and abandoned. 11 miles north is Sheriff Hutton Castle.